War on religion proliferates

Published
6:00 pm CST, Tuesday, March 6, 2012

To the editor:

Is there a war on religion? Every time people try to say a prayer at school or for a graduation, they are stopped - usually by one complaint - or threatened with a lawsuit, or the school administration.

In New York, they no longer permit churches to rent schools on Sunday. You’d think with the schools needing funds, this would be a win-win situation. They will rent to other organizations. A couple of ministers were put in jail because they protested this. And, people praying on public sidewalks are asked to leave - at the Supreme Court building.

The health care law requires religious-based organizations to furnish birth control, and the abortion pill. This is all under the guise of women’s health. When was having a baby a health problem? The Catholic Church does not believe in any of these things; yet it is going to be forced to do it. As a so-called compromise, these organizations will not pay for it; insurance companies will furnish it for free. We know if insurance companies furnish anything, they will just charge the customers. This is a violation of our First Amendment.

If government can ignore the First Amendment, it can ignore other ones. It shouldn’t matter if you’re a Baptist, Catholic or any other religion, even an atheist, we must stand up for our rights. There is a conscientious clause stating if it is against your moral or religious principles, you are exempt. It works if you serve in the military, but apparently not for Christian organizations.

Even in other countries, there is a fight against Christians.

Yes, I’d say there is a war on religion, wouldn’t you?

Sylvia Wilson

Conroe

Stay out of other party’s business in primaries

To the editor:

It makes my blood boil when Democrats do it. It makes my blood boil when Republicans do it. I never have and never will do it.

What is it? It is crossing party lines to mess in the other party’s primary election. Open primaries that invite such electoral vandalism make as much sense as opening the election of a bishop of a church to nonbelievers and nonmembers. Why should people who have no affiliation with a political party or deep attachments to the opposite party be allowed to invade the organizational process of the other party, solely for purposes of sabotage?

When Rush Limbaugh encouraged Republicans to vote in the Clinton-Obama race four years ago, it was wrong. When Sen. Santorum robo-called Michigan Democrats to enter the Republican primary last week, it was wrong. When Dems direct their party members and union agitators to enter Republican races in Texas for governor or U.S. senator, it is wrong.

To vote in a party’s primary election, voters should have to register with their choice of political party, or the local voter registration officials, some reasonable period of time before the primary season. I suggest in the previous calendar year. This would avoid confusion over changing primary schedules, such as we are experiencing in Texas this year, thanks to the fumblings of courts in Washington, D.C., and San Antonio.

I am not suggesting complete party control of primaries in Texas. In the past, that led to “Whites Only” Democrat primaries that disenfranchised many Texans when the Democrat primary really determined who would win in November. Texas Republican never held such “Whites Only” primaries.

So watch out for this form of voter fraud whenever the courts finally decide to let Texans vote in our primary.

Paul Gebolys

The Woodlands

Tired of Swearingen coverage, ready for execution

To the editor:

How much longer must we have “Front Page” coverage of a convicted murderer ... now we are invited to go online and see the “archive collection of 50-plus articles dating back to 2000.”

I have been reading about the horrible murder of this beautiful young woman with her whole life in front of her since she went missing in 1998. And anyone who has done the same is absolutely convinced that Larry Swearingen is guilty ... just as the jury decided. I can’t imagine how horrible it would be to lose a child, but to have the details magnified over and over again is more than anyone can bear. I do not know the Trotter family at all, but I shed real tears, my heart aches and then I get angry, every time I see another article. Our warped justice system has allowed this to happen ... we have become so obsessed with making sure we don’t convict the innocent that we allow the forgotten victim and the family and friends to be ignored and abused over and over again.

I hope other readers will join me in looking forward to the headline that says “Swearingen executed,” and thanking God that justice has been done and peace will comfort the Trotter family after 14 long years.